Orlando – Away From the Theme Parks

On May 4, 2012 by Kevin Forde

Orlando is famous for many mouse-related things, as well as for being a host to other theme park-related attractions. Disney World, SeaWorld, Legoland, Universal Studios all hoarde tourists’ time like the tourist time hoarders they are, but really visitors should set aside some time to enjoy some of the splendid non-theme park-related events on offer in a city which both begins and ends with a vowel.

Skyventure

With a name that contracts the words “sky” and “adventure” into one handy neologistic word, you’d expect this to involve the sky and a sky-related adventure. For most people that would be about as scary as getting lost in Stephen King’s nightmares. What happens at Skyventure is something equally fun but completely safe. Basically, there’s a big wind that hits you at about 120mph which throws you in the air. It sounds pretty dangerous but apparently kids as young a three can do it.

Titanic: The Exhibition

Have you ever wanted to pretend to be a dead person who sailed on the Titanic? Yes? Really? OK, well luckily for you the Titanic exhibition in Orlando allows you to adopt the name of one of the Titanic’s passengers and take a walk around the site which features all kinds of ship-related memorabilia and re-enactments by trained actors. At the end you get the wonderful thrill of finding out whether you actually survived or not. Titanic weddings, which are presumably ship-themed rather than simply massive, are also available.

Balloon Rides

If you ever fancy taking an actual sky adventure, then going on a hot air balloon ride is probably one of the finest – and safest – ways of going about it. Peer down on central Florida as you soar above all its major attractions, grass and native population, as well as other things.

Ballet

A trip to a ballet is definitely not something you think of when it comes to a holiday in Orlando but it is certainly something worth checking out. The Orlando Ballet is a professional ballet company which caters for both seasoned ballet lovers and more family orientated visitors with their child-friendly “Ballet in Less than an Hour” shows.

See, Orlando has plenty to offer, outside of all the other things that people are already aware it has to offer.